Maple Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad

Printable Recipe


Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: as per pasta package
Resting time:  If you like your pasta warm, eat immediately.  If not, leave on counter until room temperature or even overnight in the fridge.   Great for picnics
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 cups small pasta - I used Colavita - twirly Cavatappi
and the rest really don't have any measurements - use as much or as little as you like
Goat cheese (I used about 1/4 cup crumbled Ran-Cher Goat Cheese with chives
1/2 cup sweet red peppers, finely diced
2 tbsp or so garlic scapes, finely chopped
maple smoked salmon - about 1 cup, coarsely crumbled
baby Swiss Chard, roughly torn and stem/spine removed
5-6 large basil leaves, chiffonade (rolled like a cigar and thinly sliced across)
Dressing - more of a drizzle of really good olive oil, a couple of splashes of Vilux Champagne vinegar and some grindings of freshly black peppercorns.

Directions:
1.  Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water as per package directions.
2. While the pasta is cooking combine everything except the dressing (oil, vinegar & pepper) and toss.
3.  Drain the cooked pasta and add to the salad ingredients.  This will slightly wilt the Swiss chard and melt the cheese.
4.  Drizzle the olive oil and vinegar and taste for seasonings.   Always better to start with a little and add, than to add to much of either at the beginning.